Tuesday, 4 February 2014

Jersey Boys (2014) The Casting and Pre-Production

With a release date of June 20th
now announced by Warner Bros, I felt it was time to create a dedicated page for
Clint’s new movie. So how did Jersey Boys become Clint’s next project? Well, Clint
was working hard in the early half of 2013, specifically to bring a new version
of A Star is Born to the screen, however pre-production turned out to be rather
troublesome. Singing superstar Beyoncé was set to play the lead role (made
famous by Barbra Streisand in the last screen version from 1976).
Unfortunately, scheduling issues meant that Beyoncé was unable to commit to the
project. She told E! News.

'I was looking forward to the
production of A Star Is Born and the opportunity to work with Clint Eastwood. For
months we tried to coordinate our schedules to bring this remake to life but it
was just not possible. Hopefully in the future we will get a chance to work
together.'

Bradley
Cooper was also linked to the movie, but eventually the project was put on hold. Clint, (not known as a person to hang
around), decided to push on with pre-production of Jersey Boys.

It was around April of 2013 that reports first began to
emerge. The Hollywood Reporter stated:

Sources say the veteran director is looking to push back his "A
Star Is Born" remake and focus on the 1960s-set film based on the mega-hit
musical. With a planned remake of A Star Is Born stymied by casting issues,
Clint Eastwood is close to moving his attention to his next project. And
another music-based project might be his choice.

Word has spread around Hollywood that the legendary film-maker has set
his sights on an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Jersey Boys. Multiple
sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Eastwood is in talks with production
entity GK Films and Warner Bros. to take on the high-profile project, though
neither the studio nor the production company or Eastwood's reps would confirm
the negotiations.

Based on the mega-hit Tony-winning musical, the story chronicles the
rise of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and the group's eventual breakup.

Jon Favreau (Iron Man) had been attached to direct the big-screen
adaptation, which originally was set up at Columbia Pictures. Producer Graham
King moved the project to Warner Bros. in September after he inked a first-look
deal with the studio. But six weeks later, Warners put Jersey Boys in
turnaround.

Sources say there were some conversations with TC Fox, but now that
Eastwood is in the picture, the project could be heading back to Warners.

Eastwood, whose most recent film as director was 2011's J. Edgar (he
starred in and produced but did not direct September's Trouble with the Curve),
has long been looking to bring A Star Is Born back to the big screen. Grammy
winner Esperanza Spalding is the current choice to star, but that project is
having difficulty casting a male lead, with a number of stars passing (Sean
Penn's name being the latest to surface). Insiders say Eastwood would look to direct Jersey Boys, then follow
with Star Is Born.

Clint
Eastwood Eyes Tony Winner John Lloyd Young for Jersey Boys

On July 18th, 2013, Ryan Gilbert of Broadway Buzz reported:

Director Clint Eastwood has begun the casting process for his
previously reported film adaptation of Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli
and The Four Seasons’ rise from obscure local band to rock ‘n’ roll sensation.
According to Variety, Eastwood and producer Graham King are hoping to sign up
Tony winner John Lloyd Young as well as Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda and
Boardwalk Empire actor Vincent Piazza for the film. The four actors have yet to be officially offered roles, but Warner
Brothers is reportedly in discussions with Eastwood and King over the potential
casting. Young would play Frankie Valli on screen, the role that nabbed him the
2006 Best Actor in a Musical Tony Award, Bergen previously played the role of
Bob Gaudio in the Las Vegas production of Jersey Boys and Lomenda would play
Nick Massi, a role he previously played on the national tour of the show.
Piazza would play Tommy DeVito, the role that won original star Christian Hoff
a Featured Actor in a Musical Tony Award.

Director Clint Eastwood has set Christopher Walken to star in Jersey
Boys, the Warner Bros and GK Films feature adaptation of the hit stage musical.
Walken will play the role of Angelo “Gyp” DeCarlo, the Jersey mobster who, in
the show, served an unofficial consigliere role to the young singers as they
tried to build their careers without falling into the grip of organized crime.
The film was scripted by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and production begins
mid-September in Los Angeles. Graham King and Rob Lorenz are producing and
Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio are the exec producers. The Tony-winning stage
musical has grossed more than $1 billion for all its incarnations. Deadline
revealed that Eastwood was not going to cast major stars to play the young singers
but rather select them from the various casts taking the stage nightly. Reports
are that Eastwood chose Vincent Piazza, John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, and
Michael Lomenda. Walken will be the first of several stars who’ll add some name
recognition to the production.

Donnie Kehr, Joins Cast of Clint Eastwood's Jersey Boys Film

On August 5th 2013 Adam Hetrick and Andrew Gans of Playbill announced:

Donnie Kehr, who originated the role of Norm Waxman in the Broadway
production of Jersey Boys, will recreate his performance in Clint Eastwood's
film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical.

The Jersey Boys movie has cast its Bob Gaudio and they’ve plucked him
right off the stage. Erich Bergen will reprise his role of the Four Seasons
singer in the film after playing Gaudio in the Tony-winning Broadway show’s
first national tour and onstage in LA and Las Vegas.

Erich Bergen

Clint Eastwood‘s Jersey Boys adaptation keeps filling out the cast of
its jukebox musical cast. Deadline hears that Mike Doyle (Shameless, A Gifted
Man, Law & Order: SVU) has closed a deal to play Bob Crewe, the music
producer who helps mould Frankie Valli and his bandmates into the Four Seasons,
in a non-singing role. Taking the role of Nick DeVito is Johnny Cannizzaro (The Muppets, Lost
Angels). Nick DeVito is the brother of Tommy DeVito and a founding member of
The Variety Trio, the group that began singing together before linking up with
Valli and eventually becoming the Four Seasons.

Jeremy Luke, Joey Russo Join Clint Eastwood's 'Jersey Boys'

August 2013 The Hollywood Reporter announced:

Jeremy Luke and Joey Russo have been cast in Jersey Boys, the film
adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, which will be helmed by Clint Eastwood.
Jeremy Luke, who has been cast to star in Frank Darabont's upcoming TNT drama
Lost Angels, will play Donnie, a loan shark who is trying to extort money from
Frankie Valli. Joey Russo has been cast as Joe "Joey" Pesci, who helped
create the '60s musical group. Luke and Russo, friends in real life, both hail
from Staten Island and moved out to Los Angeles together. They created the web
series Turbo and Joey.

'Jersey Boys' Broadway Actress to Reprise Role in Movie

On August 27th, 2013 The Hollywood reporter posted:

Erica Piccininni is going back to Jersey. Piccininni, who starred in
Jersey Boys' original Broadway production, will reprise her role in the Warner
Bros. film version of the Tony-winning musical being directed by Clint
Eastwood.

Piccininni will play Lorraine, an attractive Detroit reporter who
meets Frankie (John Lloyd Young) for an interview and begins a sizzling affair
with him. It was also reported that The Sopranos actress Kathrine Narducci will star in Jersey Boys as Frankie Valli's mother, Mary Rinaldi.

On August 28th, it was also confirmed that John Lloyd Young is to play Frankie
Valli. Young had been previously rumoured to be Eastwood and producer Graham
King's top pick to portray the famous falsetto-singing Four Seasons front man.

Freya Tingley as Francine Valli

As far as I could establish, 19-year-old, Perth-born actress Freya
Tingley appeared to join the cast in the September of 2013. Freya originally sent
in her audition on videotape. After landing the part, she didn’t meet director
Eastwood until her first day on the set in Los Angeles. So was she nervous or
overawed when she first met the legendary director?

‘Not a bit. I was really excited!

I auditioned for the casting director and my tape was sent off with
two other girls to Clint Eastwood, and he was taking a look at the tapes and
picked me,' Tingley said.

‘I'm a big fan of the 70s for film. I feel like it’s a golden era of
film and he's such a big contributor of that era. So to be working for someone
who is so renowned and respected is really exciting.’

Tingley loved the opportunity to work with Eastwood in the film, where
she plays Frankie Valli's daughter.

‘He's a very calm and knowing person, he just knows so much,’ she said.
‘Before I was going to be working for him, I did my research and decided to
YouTube some actors who had worked with him. Meryl Streep said when you're
being directed by him, you don't know you're being directed by him. So when I
was on set, he'll talk you through the scene rather than tell you “I want you
to do this”. I liked his way of directing.’

Filming and the speed of Eastwood’s output!

Clint of course has a reputation of bringing in a film on time and
under budget. I have to say, I was somewhat staggered by how quick this was in
the can! No sooner had I started watching the casting in August – by October
the filming was finished! Here are a few stories that appeared along with some
pictures that surfaced at the time.

Frankie Valli Discusses JERSEY BOYS Movie

September 27th BWW

Legendary Four Seasons front-man Frankie Valli discusses the highly
anticipated new stage-to-screen adaptation of his hit Tony Award-winning Best
Musical JERSEY BOYS in a new radio interview in promotion of an upcoming
concert gig.

In remarking upon the iconic actor and director taking the reigns of
the 60s-set property for the big screen, Valli relates, "He's terrific. I
was a big fan for many, many years, and getting to meet him was terrific."

Eastwood's musical background informed the decision to place him in
the director's chair, as well, Valli asserts.

"That's why we were excited about him doing this," Valli
says of Eastwood's extensive jazz and movie scoring resume. As for differences
between the stage and screen iterations, Valli recounts, "It will be a lot
like the play, except things that you can't do in a play that you can do in a
play - it's been very interesting."

As far as the casting and the prominence of theatre actors in major
roles in the movie, Valli states, "There are a couple of the people who
have been in the play production."

Final Week of Filming On JERSEY BOYS Movie

October 8 2013,

BroadwayWorld

The first photo captured of the main foursome together (above), along
with some friends, has finally made its way onto social media, with headliner
Erich Bergen taking to Twitter to write, "Beginning the final week of
#JerseyBoysMovie. Missing these boys already," along with a shot of the
titular stars sharing some off-the-clock time together.

Right: Another glimpse at master director Clint Eastwood on the set of
the film has leaked, shared by supporting player KARA PACITTO who is shown in
full leopard-print costume, tagged with the caption, "Had a great time
with the nicest cast and crew"

Renee
Marino utilized social media to share a pic of herself participating in a new
photoshoot in promotion of the highly anticipated big screen tuner, as well,
writing, "Such a fun day shooting new pics with @emmajanephotos
#jerseyboysmovie".

Left: featured player Annelise Marie posted a selfie of herself from
the set of the film, as well, labeling it, "My look on set today for new
Jersey Boys movie that takes place in 1950s #timemachine #setlife #bts
#selfie".

JERSEY BOYS is directed by Clint Eastwood based upon the Broadway
musical featuring the music and lyrics of Bob Gaudio & Bob Crewe, written
by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. The film stars John Lloyd Young, Erich
Bergen, Vincent Piazza, Michael Lomenda, Mike Doyle and Christopher Walken.

Of note, JERSEY BOYS is currently in production, with reports
confirming the cast and crew shooting on location throughout Los Angeles. As
BroadwayWorld reported last month, Frankie Valli has expressed extreme
enthusiasm with the feature film and its director.

Clint Eastwood - Clint Eastwood 'perfect' for Jersey Boys

Bang Showbiz 4th January 2014

'Jersey Boys' producer Graham King says he knew right away that Clint
Eastwood was the perfect guy to direct the big screen adaptation of the musical
stage show.

Clint Eastwood was the ''perfect'' choice to direct 'Jersey Boys'.

Although some eyebrows were raised when the legendary
actor-and-director was announced to helm the movie adaptation of the Broadway
and West End musical - which charts the rags-to-riches rise of Frankie Valli
and the Four Seasons - producer Graham King insists he knew he was the right
person for the job from the start.

King explained to Empire magazine: ''I knew he had this musical
background and that's what made him perfect for 'Jersey Boys'.

''He'd been struggling to set up 'A Star is Born' and within 48 hours
of receiving 'Jersey Boys', he called me and said he loved it. He hadn't even
seen the show at that point, so I recommended he go and check it out, so he did
and that was when he decided he had to make it. It really was as easy as that.

''He works very quickly; it's been amazing to see his process. He
first read the script in March and here we are in December with a finished
movie.''

King was also insistent on casting the four stage stars who played
Frankie Valli and his cohorts on Broadway rather than hiring Hollywood actors.

He said: ''I've always tried to stay away from gimmick casting. We
certainly didn't shut the door on name actors and we looked at a lot of people
across the board, but it was hard to envision a movie star playing Frankie
Valli. The audience wouldn't buy it and the guys that did the show did such a
phenomenal job. It was hard to put anyone else in front of them and think they
could do a better job.''